Phil Niekro---1971
Most fans remember Phil Niekro as
the long-time face of the Atlanta
Braves and the elder hurler who went
16-8 at the age of 45 for the New
York Yankees. He retired after the
1987 campaign with 318 victories in
864 games, including 716 starts, with
most of his success coming via the
slow-moving, fluttering knuckleball.
Yet for all of his success, Niekro was
not an early sensation. He made only
one start during his first three
seasons in the big leagues, and
hardly looked like a potential 300-
game winner. In fact, when he
celebrated his 30th birthday on April
1, 1969, Niekro was the owner of a
modest 31-27 record after his first
five big league seasons with the
Braves. It was that season, however,
when Niekro took off, winning a
career-best 23 games in 1969 and
earning his first of five selections to
the All-Star team. He posted three
other 20-win seasons, in 1974 and
1979, and by the time he retired after
twirling for three teams in 1987, the
48-year-old “Knucksie” was the
oldest regular player in major league
history.
In many ways Niekro can serve as
the poster child for a baseball
tortoise and the hare story. It’s not
how fast one achieves success, but
how consistency can win the race.
the long-time face of the Atlanta
Braves and the elder hurler who went
16-8 at the age of 45 for the New
York Yankees. He retired after the
1987 campaign with 318 victories in
864 games, including 716 starts, with
most of his success coming via the
slow-moving, fluttering knuckleball.
Yet for all of his success, Niekro was
not an early sensation. He made only
one start during his first three
seasons in the big leagues, and
hardly looked like a potential 300-
game winner. In fact, when he
celebrated his 30th birthday on April
1, 1969, Niekro was the owner of a
modest 31-27 record after his first
five big league seasons with the
Braves. It was that season, however,
when Niekro took off, winning a
career-best 23 games in 1969 and
earning his first of five selections to
the All-Star team. He posted three
other 20-win seasons, in 1974 and
1979, and by the time he retired after
twirling for three teams in 1987, the
48-year-old “Knucksie” was the
oldest regular player in major league
history.
In many ways Niekro can serve as
the poster child for a baseball
tortoise and the hare story. It’s not
how fast one achieves success, but
how consistency can win the race.
